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Yup, this seems to be a very real game. Bum Simulator [Steam] is a game that's going to turn a few heads, with it show off life as a homeless person. It could end up being a little controversial too, I'm sure a few people will have some interesting opinions on this one.

I'm not sure what to make of it, as it looks mildly amusing, but it makes me feel a little weird. Can't be much worse than the thousands of other violent games we have I suppose and highlights the issues some people have to go through. A modern-life survival sim? Could be interesting.

Anyway…here's the trailer:

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I have to admit, the bit with the pigeons gave me a chuckle.

The feature list is a little amusing, here's what they say it has:

  • Discover your inner bum powers
  • Tame the infamous city pigeons
  • Solve the mystery of sewer rat people
  • Learn the secrets of Alcohol Alchemy
  • ...and much more!

Bum Simulator is due out in October and it seems it will include Linux support, as they've actually filled out the Linux system requirements. Find it on Steam.

Thanks for the tip, NeoTheFox.

Article taken from GamingOnLinux.com.
Tags: Simulation, Steam
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I can be a dick, but (hopefully) only to people who know my twisted sense of humour and take it as a joke.

The guy in this video, on the other hand, is a dick indiscriminately:

['People think that I'm this do-gooder; they don't realize that I do it because it's fun'](https://youtu.be/WVTWCPoUt8w?t=1h19m45s)
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
I always love offensive games like that for the sweet butthurt they cause in all the hypocrites and [do-gooders](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Do-Gooder).
I've noticed that it's currently considered much more of a social faux pas to be a do-gooder than a do-badder.
So did I.
A good development, for once.
I'd much rather have more people that are unfriendly and appear dickish, but are honest, than those who "mean well" but only cause more harm.
Yes, you should always strive to hurt people because trying to do good is bound to result in something worse.
There is a difference between between doing good and being a do-gooder as I described them. Yes, the words, I know... don't blame me, blame the English language.

An example:
A guy who is always extra nice to people, never makes them aware of their mistakes because he doesn't want to hurt them, avoids confrontation, gives money to help the poor children in Africa, finds everything "super great!" and gives compliments freely.
On first glance, he appears good.

But nothing he does really helps anyone who needs it.
Always being extra nice just makes him appear to be sleazy and hiding some agenda after a while.
Never correcting people's mistakes only strengthens their belief they did nothing wrong. Better to hurt them a little (in the sense that own mistakes being brought to one's attention is never a good feeling), but also giving them a chance to improve themselves.
Avoiding confrontation only leads to people being overwhelmed when a confrontation finally does happen, as they never had to deal with it before.
Giving money to African charities only ends up cementing their shitty situation, as it keeps them in a "barely tolerable" state instead of an "intolerable" one that would eventually cause an improvement from the inside. Imagine what would have happened if aristocrats had given the French people just enough food and clothing to get by instead of nothing? French revolution would never have happened.
Finding everything great and showering people with compliments only makes them numb to compliments, or even worse, expecting them after every little thing.

No... Only he himself is being helped, as all of that stuff makes him feel better about himself.
That is what I call a textbook do-gooder and that is what I try to unmask whenever I can.

If you actually believe that, you should start writing scripts for Hollywood my friend.
1. I hope my clarification shows what I meant and yes, that is what I believe.

2. I am not your friend and your condescendence is not required to get your point across. You can go on, though. In contrast to others, I am not so easily offended ;)


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 12 May 2018 at 1:19 pm UTC
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
I can be a dick, but (hopefully) only to people who know my twisted sense of humour and take it as a joke.

The guy in this video, on the other hand, is a dick indiscriminately:

['People think that I'm this do-gooder; they don't realize that I do it because it's fun'](https://youtu.be/WVTWCPoUt8w?t=1h19m45s)
Aye, he is!
And he has done more for people than a hundred do-gooders combined.
Being nice is not a requirement for doing good. Even wanting to do good isn't.
I don't have the recipe for how your actions end up causing a positive result, either, but I am fairly sure it is independent from your intrinsic motivation.

In the end, it only matters what you do, not why you do it.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 12 May 2018 at 1:15 pm UTC
tuubi 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
2. I am not your friend and your condescendence is not required to get your point across. You can go on, though. In contrast to others, I am not so easily offended ;)
I did sound condescending there. Sorry.

My point was, sure there are total dickwads who act nice, but they're not dickwads because they act nice. There's simply no correlation in that direction. However, it's a fair bet that a person who enjoys conflict and being a dick towards strangers turns out to be a self-centered bastard or simply suffers from ego issues.

Blindly dividing people you don't know into "do-gooders" and "actually good people" is just plain counterproductive.
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
However, it's a fair bet that a person who enjoys conflict and being a dick towards strangers turns out to be a self-centered bastard
The problem here to me seems to be that just being honest and speaking some uncomfortable truths is already enough for many to consider someone a dick.

Blindly dividing people you don't know into "do-gooders" and "actually good people" is just plain counterproductive.
Right, but I don't think I did that? Or someone else?
My very first post wasn't about me thinking that everyone who is offended at this game must be a do-gooder. Just the knowledge that some of them are, makes it all the sweeter.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 12 May 2018 at 1:47 pm UTC
Eike 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
There is a difference between between doing good and being a do-gooder as I described them. Yes, the words, I know... don't blame me, blame the English language.

Language is not something happening to us, it's something made by us. I feel (strongly), we shouldn't perpetuate the connotation of "doing good" and something bad. (There's something similar in German with "Gutmensch" (eng: "good human".))

I'm a proud do-gooder/Gutmensch. I hope.


Last edited by Eike on 12 May 2018 at 1:51 pm UTC
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
I'm a proud do-gooder/Gutmensch. I hope.
Yeah, I think most of us figured that out by now :D
jens 12 May 2018
  • Supporter
However, it's a fair bet that a person who enjoys conflict and being a dick towards strangers turns out to be a self-centered bastard
The problem here to me seems to be that just being honest and speaking some uncomfortable truths is already enough for many to consider someone a dick.

Speaking out some uncomfortable truths and being offending are not related imho. Depending on _how_ you state an opinion it can always go both ways. Targeting the person (you are a ..) is usually the way to offend someone. Whereas giving an opinion only from ones own perspective (I think/guess that..) keeps the respect towards the audience, even when stating something uncomfortable. Well, that's what I think (and try to do) ;).

But sure, people react differently, especially with written communication and even more when history is involved.


Last edited by jens on 12 May 2018 at 5:41 pm UTC
Purple Library Guy 12 May 2018
I always love offensive games like that for the sweet butthurt they cause in all the hypocrites and [do-gooders](https://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Do-Gooder).
I've noticed that it's currently considered much more of a social faux pas to be a do-gooder than a do-badder.
So did I.
A good development, for once.
I'd much rather have more people that are unfriendly and appear dickish, but are honest, than those who "mean well" but only cause more harm.
Most people who are unfriendly and appear dickish aren't actually honest, though. You're claiming a correlation that doesn't exist. Look at the whole US establishment: A bunch of dickish bastards who do enormous harm and spout arrogant violent crap all the time, and who are also collectively as lying and dishonest as the day is long. Apparent niceness has long been displaced as the main form of dishonesty. Rather, the most common approach nowadays is offensiveness purporting to "call a spade a spade" or whatever as a smokescreen for self-serving nonsense.

Also, most people don't just appear dickish. Rather, people who appear dickish very often do actual bad things. Your position is actually kind of naive--when I say "do-badder" you assume that of course there can't be any such thing as an actual bad person who does anything bad, so I must be talking about people who just say shit. No, I'm saying literally, in our society doing actual harm may carry some social stigma (unless you do a LOT of harm, like crash the economy with derivatives trading, then you're a pillar of the community), but it's considered much worse to be some kind of idealist who wants to do good things. We fear the idea that doing good might be possible, I think.
Doc Angelo 12 May 2018
Language is not something happening to us, it's something made by us. I feel (strongly), we shouldn't perpetuate the connotation of "doing good" and something bad. (There's something similar in German with "Gutmensch" (eng: "good human".))

I hate the term "Gutmensch". It just feels wrong to paint this rather straightforward term in a bad light. "Scheingutmensch" would be more fitting.

I can understand the definition of TheSHEEEP regarding "do-gooder" and where this is coming from. I know way too many people who tell about doing good all the time, but rarely put action behind their words. I also know people who are phrasing their views in over the top language, something like "all foreigners are nice and lovely!". Some people just love to appear as (purportedly) political correct as possible. That's a problem. But it's also a problem that many people who actually do something good - because they thought about it and came to the conclusion that they want to do this - sound just the same at first glance.

I really think "Scheingutmensch" in German and something like "pseu-do-gooder" would be more fitting and not as misleading.
jens 12 May 2018
  • Supporter
Language is not something happening to us, it's something made by us. I feel (strongly), we shouldn't perpetuate the connotation of "doing good" and something bad. (There's something similar in German with "Gutmensch" (eng: "good human".))

I hate the term "Gutmensch". It just feels wrong to paint this rather straightforward term in a bad light. "Scheingutmensch" would be more fitting.

I can understand the definition of TheSHEEEP regarding "do-gooder" and where this is coming from. I know way too many people who tell about doing good all the time, but rarely put action behind their words. I also know people who are phrasing their views in over the top language, something like "all foreigners are nice and lovely!". Some people just love to appear as (purportedly) political correct as possible. That's a problem. But it's also a problem that many people who actually do something good - because they thought about it and came to the conclusion that they want to do this - sound just the same at first glance.

I really think "Scheingutmensch" in German and something like "pseu-do-gooder" would be more fitting and not as misleading.

I would go for "hypocrite", or in German "scheinheilig".

Just to be sure: From what I read here I'm pretty certain that Eike does not fall into the category of being hypocrite/"scheinheilig" ;)


Last edited by jens on 12 May 2018 at 5:08 pm UTC
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
I really think "Scheingutmensch" in German and something like "pseu-do-gooder" would be more fitting and not as misleading.

I would go for "hypocrite", or in German "scheinheilig".
That is a hypocrite, yes.
But: What I say is that there is a difference between hypocrites (people who say A and do B) and do-gooders (people who say A, do A, claim that A is good, but A is actually a bad thing once you think about it more deeply).
I can only point at my own example [a page ago](https://www.gamingonlinux.com/articles/bum-simulator-will-simulate-life-as-a-homeless-person.11751/comment_id=122304).

For example, if I started proclaiming that everyone should start defending the poor and downtrodden Panterra people (imaginary name), I would be a hypocrite.
Because I do not truly believe in that, but know that people like it when someone proclaims that.

If I actually did go out of my way to defend the poor and downtrodden Panterra people, and believe I am doing good, I would be a do-gooder.
Because that would only lead to the Panterra people never learning to defend themselves and always require someone to do it for them, it would actually be a bad result.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 12 May 2018 at 5:26 pm UTC
Eike 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
But: What I say is that there is a difference between hypocrites (people who say A and do B) and do-gooders (people who say A, do A, claim that A is good, but A is actually a bad thing once you think about it more deeply).

So, a try-do-gooder?
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
But: What I say is that there is a difference between hypocrites (people who say A and do B) and do-gooders (people who say A, do A, claim that A is good, but A is actually a bad thing once you think about it more deeply).

So, a try-do-gooder?
Kinda, if you want. It's kind of a mouthful, though...
Edited my post with an example.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 12 May 2018 at 5:27 pm UTC
jens 12 May 2018
  • Supporter
But: What I say is that there is a difference between hypocrites (people who say A and do B) and do-gooders (people who say A, do A, claim that A is good, but A is actually a bad thing once you think about it more deeply).

So, a try-do-gooder?

A naive hypocrite then? :)


Last edited by jens on 12 May 2018 at 6:02 pm UTC
tuubi 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
If I actually did go out of my way to defend the poor and downtrodden Panterra people, and believe I am doing good, I would be a do-gooder.
Because that would only lead to the Panterra people never learning to defend themselves and always require someone to do it for them, it would actually be a bad result.
And what if those poor and downtrodden Panterra people actually need help to achieve basic necessities that would allow them to "learn"? I know the oft-repeated adage that "what does not kill you makes you stronger", but sometimes what doesn't kill you very effectively keeps you from getting up and helping yourself. Or ends up killing off most of your community, delaying recovery and learning by generations.

Someone struggling to scrounge up basic sustenance or to protect their children from preventable diseases isn't in a position to "defend themselves". This is another example of black-and-white thinking from people with a superiority complex. We are talking about human beings here.

Call me whatever you want, but I firmly believe that if most of us were just a tiny bit less selfish, many of the world's problems would be trivial to solve. And this goes for every nation and every creed of people equally. It's perfectly natural to concentrate on your own needs and those of your own community, but the world has changed too fast for us to rely on instinct alone.
TheSHEEEP 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
If I actually did go out of my way to defend the poor and downtrodden Panterra people, and believe I am doing good, I would be a do-gooder.
Because that would only lead to the Panterra people never learning to defend themselves and always require someone to do it for them, it would actually be a bad result.
And what if those poor and downtrodden Panterra people actually need help to achieve basic necessities that would allow them to "learn"? I know the oft-repeated adage that "what does not kill you makes you stronger", but sometimes what doesn't kill you very effectively keeps you from getting up and helping yourself. Or ends up killing off most of your community, delaying recovery and learning by generations.
Obviously (or not...) helping them to learn includes protecting them for the time being.
But only for so long.

If the Panterra people after long years of trying to teach them turn out simply incapable of self-defence, there is no reason to further waste your resources on them.

I'm not per se against defending the weak, but it must come with the goal of making them strong, too, so that you gain an ally in the end instead of just another bottomless hole to take care of.


Last edited by TheSHEEEP on 12 May 2018 at 6:53 pm UTC
tuubi 12 May 2018
  • Supporter Plus
If the Panterra people after long years of trying to teach them turn out simply incapable of self-defence, there is no reason to further waste your resources on them.
Oh, if this was about literal defence (the military kind) and not something you'd associate with the kinds of people you call do-gooders, we actually agree. Sending soldiers and weapons into a conflict zone has rarely had a lasting positive effect.
Doc Angelo 12 May 2018
For example, if I started proclaiming that everyone should start defending the poor and downtrodden Panterra people (imaginary name), I would be a hypocrite.
Because I do not truly believe in that, but know that people like it when someone proclaims that.

If I actually did go out of my way to defend the poor and downtrodden Panterra people, and believe I am doing good, I would be a do-gooder.
Because that would only lead to the Panterra people never learning to defend themselves and always require someone to do it for them, it would actually be a bad result.

That means that only those people are do-gooders that are doing things that you wouldn't do. Or people who have views you don't share. You label them do-gooders as soon as you disagree with their views or the reasoning behind their actions. If I would do the same, you would be a do-gooder from my perspective.

It really just boils down to your disagreement with their views and actions. You don't like what they say and do, and you show your dislike by calling those people names. In my opinion, that's neither useful nor helpful for you or for them.


Last edited by Doc Angelo on 12 May 2018 at 7:58 pm UTC
buenaventura 12 May 2018
Yawn, looks so stupid. The real Urban Survival Sim is Urban Pirate [[itch](https://babyduka.itch.io/urban-pirate)] [[steam](https://store.steampowered.com/app/471380/Urban_Pirate/)] folks, go get it. Much nicer graphix and music too!
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